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Fragments of the Early 
History of Springfield 
Greene County Missouri 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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014 614 856 6 




FRAGMENTS OF THE EARLY 
HISTORY 



OF- 



SPRINGFIELD 



— AND- 



GREENE COUNTY, MO. 



-RELATED BY- 



PIONEERS AND THEIR 
DECENDENTS 



-AT AN- 



OLD SETTLER'S DINNER 



GIVEN AT THE HOME OF 



CAPT. MARTIN J. HUBBLE 



MARCH 31st, 1908 






I two UOOies rtetw 

j OCT 6 i tow* I 

CLASS Oj_ aAc. Nu, J 




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Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 3 

REV.JT J. LILLY 

Toastmaster 

Hon. Chairman and Gentlemen: 

Twelve months ago I had the pleasure of meeting our excel- 
lent Host and urging him to continue the meetings of the Pioneer 
Citizens of the County and City, as the different papers, prepared 
and read, depicting the trials, toils and sacrifices they made, also 
facts placed on record would be of historical interest, and only 
the sons of the fathers can state the FACTS correctly. 

I am pleased to be with you today, to "Sit at the feet of the 
Elders and Ancients of the People," and listen to the words of 
wisdom that fall from their lips, hear the history of those days, 
days of anxiety, peril and hard labor, changing prairie into fer- 
tile fields, clearing forests and abundance of harvets. 

The sincere friendship that existed between neighbor and 
neighbor, helping and assisting each other in health, and when 
sickness came to offer all kindness, and in death, sympathy and 
condolence. The widow and orphan given help with an open 
hand. 

You taught the children patriotism and the upholding of law 
and government, moral and divine — in a word our "American 
Institutions." You were the incentives to thrift. 

All these and more are the sureties of good citizenship. All 
having passed your "three score years and ten" and some "four 
score," I know you will join me in thanks to our Heavenly Father 
for the blessings he has showered upon you, long life, good health, 
happy surroundings and the hope of many happy days to come 
in the country and city you have helped to create. For myself 
I hope your days may be long and pleasant and when the time 
comes for the "Masters' call," you may be ready, and receive the 
"Welcome plaudit; well done, good and faithful servant." 



JUDGE J. Y. FULBRIGHT 

The Reason Why We Had an Honest Community in the First 
Settling of This Country. 

The early settlers were mostly from the old hardy stock from 
Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and other older 
states. They came, viewed the country, were well pleased with 
the climate and topography; hence, determined to make for them- 
selves and families permanent homes. 

The next thing was to purify the community and make it a 
desirable and pleasant community in which to live. And as new- 
comers moved in, their conduct was carefully scrutinized and if 
serious objections were found, some of the older men would go 
to them quiety and inform them that their conduct was such that 
they preferred that they move on, as there was plenty of other 



4 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

territory elsewhere, and by thai nTfe'ans got rid of them without 
arrests, fines or imprisonments, ancrprobably no one would ever 
know of it except the parties themselves. 

You ask how this could be done? I will illustrate by one or 
two instances. There was an old man who lived in the west por- 
tion of this county, familiarly known as Uncle Davy Reynolds. 
It was his custom when he came to Springfield to stay one night 
at my father's house and, as a boy, I had heard him tell of the 
working of this plan. On one occasion a man moved in and stop- 
ped near his place — had four horses to feed and he, Uncle Davy, 
soon found that he was not buying corn sufficient to feed those 
four horses, for the county was sparsely settled and he knew 
every man who had corn to sell. He watched his crib and found 
his corn missing. He went to his crib on Saturday, selecting the 
day on purpose, arranged his corn so that he would know if any 
was taken, and in the cobs of several ears inserted a slip of pa- 
per with his name written on it. Next morning it was gone. On* 
Sunday he visited this man and while there walked out to the lot, 
and on examining the cobs, found several with his name in them. 
He suggested to the man that it was a strange incident. Of 
course the man was confused. Uncle Davy suggested the best 
way out was for him to move and by the time the sun was an 
hour high the next morning he was gone. 

One other instance — a neighbor of Uncle Davy's — kept miss- 
ing his meat and suspected a man living on his place, in a cabin 
with stick and mud chimney, and large loose stones for hearth 
stones. Pie walked over, seated himself by the fire with the 
family, and soon found that one of the stones had been moved 
recently; suggested that he saw signs of the wood rats bothering 
them, raised the stone and found his ham of meat. That man 
soon left the county, never to return. 

In this way they eliminated the objectionable element. In 
after years I spent the day socially with Solomon Owens, the 
father of Capt. Baker Owens. During the day we talked of the 
early settling of the county and I spoke of these things and he 
replied that he, too, had resorted to these measures often to rid 
the neighborhood of objectionable characters, and that the cus- 
tom in those days was frequently restored to by the older and 
better settlers. 



J. R. D. THOMPSON 

My father's name was Edward M. Thompson. He came to 
Springfield from Tennessee in 1829. He had previously lived in 
Kentucky and moved from there to Tennessee. He was raised in 
Maryland. After coming here he first settled on the headwaters 
of the James river at what was known as the Sam'l Caldwell 
farm. He afterwards moved from that place to the Joe McCraw 
farm at Cave Spring, which was then generally known as the 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 5 

Eastman farm, six miles from here on the Rock Bridge road. He 
then moved from there to Kickapoo Prairie where I now live. 
He there entered 640 acres of land, on which I was born and part 
of which I now OAvn. I was born on the 12th day of July, 1836. 

My earliest remembrance of the inhabitants of Springfield is 
of one DeBruin, who had a store on the corner of Colege street 
and the Public Square, where the old court house now stands. 
The next building was the State Bank, located on the corner of 
Boonville street and the Public Square. On the northeast corner 
of Boonville street and the Square, General N. R. Smith operated 
a hotel. The next house was Jacob Painter's gunsmith shop, lo- 
cated where Reps Dry Goods store now stands. The next house 
was over on the south side of St. Louis street and the corner of 
the Square, occupied by D. D. Berry's store. The next house 
was at the southeast corner of the Public Square, owned by Ben- 
jamin Andrews, and occupied as a grocery, confectionary and 
bread store. The next house was at the southeast corner of 
South street and the Public Square where Sheppard & Jaggard 
ran a store. Right across from the latter store was a log house 
where Braddock Coleman occupied a building as a saloon. The 
next house was Judge Farmer's store, in which was located the 
postoffice, at that time, about where the O'Day Book Store now 
stands. The next house was the Rube Blakey saloon, situated 
on the west side of the Square, in the southwest corner, being a 
building about 12 feet by 14 feet square, where the O'Day Cloth- 
ing store now stands. There was nothing else on the west side 
of the Square at that time except the Blakey saloon. These are 
all the houses on the Public Square when I first came here that 
I can remember. 

My mother's brother, Judge James Dollison, came here with 
my father. Judge Dollison entered 160 acres of public land, tluS 
southwest corner of which was Dollison and Cherry streets. My 
cousin, Mrs. Sample Orr, inherited one-fourth of that land, and 
she offered it to me for $2,000 in 1866. I have since purchased 
a lot 75 feet by 185 feet cut out of that tract for which I paid 
$1,600, having made the purchase 25 years later. 

Junius Campbell and my father and James Blakey owned the 
only farms then occupied between my house and Springfield on 
the Kickapoo Prairie. This constituted all the farms there were 
on Kickapoo Prairie at that time. James Dollison planted the 
first orchard that was ever planted in Greene county. I can re- 
member when my mother rode over on horse back and brought 
home apples in her apron from that orchard and we thought that 
those were the best apples ever grown for they tasted long and 
rich. 

In those days we went to Cason's Mill where the James 
River bridge is now located near Galloway. The Yoakum mill 
was then in existence but there was no mill at the Jones Spring 
at that time. Old Uncle Bennie Bashears at Beaver Gap had a 
corn cracker which consisted of two little stones of about a foot 



6 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

or 18 inches across, and those old stones were lying about there in 
that neighborhood a few years ago. But neither the Fulbright 
nor the mill at Jones Spring had been built at that time. The 
Cason Mill is the oldest mill that I know of. The next mill to 
be built was at the Jones Spring and also the Lawson Fulbright 
mill. 

The earliest remembrances that I have of the inhabitants is 
that of Mr. Nick Smith who run a tavern on Boonville street, and 
old man Andrews and DeBruin and Jake Painter. I also remem- 
ber Wilson Hackney, the old hatter, who lived on South street; 
also Peter Epperson and Braddock Coleman ; also a man by the 
name of Peck who lived right where George McDaniels house 
now stands; also Wash Merritt, who bought that place and taught 
school there. That was the only house there was out that direc- 
tion just them. On College street there was Allen Fielden who 
lived down here some where. Maj. Berry lived down there in a 
little double log house. That was the only house there on the 
south side of College street, and there was none at all on the north 
side except Presley Beal and Jake Mills. On Boonville street 
there was Nick Smith and Joe Burden whom I have already men- 
tioned. Burden afterwards lived on St. Louis street. Old Cap- 
tain A. M. Julian's carding machine was located on Boonville 
street, as was also the old blacksmith, Jenkins ; he was on the hill 
on the south side of Jordan. There was nobody else on that side 
of the street out that way. 

The grandfather of Jimmie Edwards lived on the hill on the 
west side of Boonville street. Eli Armstrong's step-father had 
a tan yard right where the bridge is now. It was known as the 
Jessup tan yard. At that time there were no residences on the 
north end of Boonville street. 

I also remember old Captain Massey. He bought the im- 
provements of Mr. Warren here. He was one of the oldest set- 
tlers that I can remember on Kickapoo Prairie. 

I have preserved all this time a copy of a contract between 
Mr. Samuel Teas and certain citizens, which I will submit for 
its antiquity: 

"Article of Agreement made by Samuel Teas on the one part, 
and we the undermentioned subscribers of the other part, Wit- 
nesseth : 

That the said Samuel Teas, on his first part, agrees to teach 
a common, moral, English school, to the best of his capacity, to 
teach six months, Saturdays and Sundays excepted, to teach in 
the school house near Mr. John Haskins; the said Teas binds him- 
self to keep good order and regulation in this school. We the 
assigners on our part promise to pay the said Teas, for his ser- 
vices, six dollars for each pupil by us assigned, and to pay one- 
half of our subscription at the end of the first three months, the 
balance at the end of the school, and to make the school house 
comfortable to teach in, &c, &c. We, the teacher and subscrib- 
ers farther agrees that there shall be three Trustees appointed 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 7 

for the school, who shall have the power to regulate and settle 
all disputes, or difficulties which may arise in the school, and 
should the teacher neglect or not do his duty, the Trustees shall 
have the power to close the school by first paying him for the 
time he may have taught. We, the teacher and subscribers do 
agree in all cases to abide by the decision of the Trustees. Wit- 
ness our hands, &c, the school to commence on the day of 

the 1841. Samuel Teas. 

No. $ cts 

Jeremiah Cravens 3 18 00 

A. Britten 1% 9 00 

Danl Prigmore '.. 2 12 00 

James Byrd 1 1 00 

E. W. Beasley 3 18 00 

Benjamin Thomas 1 6 00 

John F. Mills V/ 2 9 00 

Abraham Fisher 3 18 00 

Berry Durham 1/2 3 00 

John Haskins 2 12 00 

Thomas F. Thompson 1% 9 00 

Edw. L. Dillon 2 12 00 

Saml W. Mann 1 6 00 

"P. S. Be it farther understood that the said Samuel Teas 
who is mentioned in the within Article further agrees that he 
will take one-third of the amount assigned by each subscriber in 
any suitable trade to be paid to the said Teas when called for 
and delivered to him at his place of residence at the market price 
of the country. Be it also understood by the assigners and 
teacher that no day scholars will be admitted to come to this 
school, neither shall any assigners to this article send at any time 
day scholars without it should be to make up lost time, &c. 

Samuel Teas. 

I will teach the school if there be twenty-five pupils assigned 
to this Article. S. Teas." 



CAPT. JOHN LAWSON HOLLAND 

I came to this country in 1841, about the 10th of November. 
I came from Tennessee. I lived on the line between Kentucky 
and Tennessee. I came into this city on St. Louis street. One 
of the first residences that I can recollect on St. Louis srteet was 
Dr. Shackelford's, who lived east of Dollison street which was 
then out in the country. After passing Dr. Shackleford's com- 
ing into town, the next residence was John S. Kimbrough's. 
Next to him was old Uncle James R. Sanforth ; then came old 
man Shannon who had a hotel on the south side of St. Louis 
street where the Opera House now stands. That is all there was 
at that time up to the corner where Berry had a store. I heard 
Mr. Thompson's statement of the residences and early citizens 



8 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

of the city and they are about the ones I recollect. There was 
nothing on the southeast corner of the Square except the places 
that Mr. Thompson has already mentioned; there was, however, 
a man named David 0. George who had a house there which has 
since been known as the Braddock Coleman place. Afterwards 
the old log cabin that the General and myself bought was built. 

The Square was just about the way Mr. Thompson described 
it when I came here. Major Berry lived on College street on 
the south side, and Beal lived on the north side. Joel Haden 
had the land office on the north side of the place occupied by De- 
Bruin. On Boonville street there was a hotel run by a man 
named Smith, and old man Edwards lived on the west side. The 
old log jail was located on the east side of the street. For about 
twenty years I don't think there was a man put into it. We had 
no use for a jail. It was an old double log jail; however, there 
was one man named Shanks who was placed in there for murder 
and he cut out of jail and escaped, and never was apprehended. 

These streets leading from the Square were named on ac- 
count of the direction of the main travel in early days, between 
the towns from which we received our supplies. For instance, 
Boonville was the name given the road because of the travel be- 
tween Boonville, Missouri, and Springfield. St. Louis street was 
given that name on account of it being the main St. Louis road. 
College street was so named because of the establishment of a 
college on that street. South street was so named on account of 
its general direction. 

The first church built in Springfield was built in 1833 or '34 
and is standing now. It is the oldest in the city now in exist- 
ence. It was occupied in early days by preachers of different 
denominations. The court house was also used for the purposes of 
worship, different denominations occupying it on alternate Sun- 
days. 

The first court house that Greene county had was an old log 
house which was torn down before I came here. 

I think when I came here that the population of the town on 
the original fifty acre tract would not exceed 200. 

I think I can remember the name of every man who then 
lived within the corporate limits. 

I might say further that I have two pieces of furniture, an 
old chair and an old bureau that was made here in the city many, 
many years ago. The bureau has been in my family some sixty- 
three or sixty-four years, and it is a strong piece of furniture to- 
day. It was made by Pressley Beal who then had a shop on the 
corner of College street and Patton alley. The chair I have had 
some fifty years. It was made by Mr. Shockley's father, and I 
kept it as a memory of my early association with those gentle- 
men. 

As I have frequently been interrogated about the punish- 
ment administered to Samuel Glover, who was a worthless fellow 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 9 

who hung about the drinking places of the town, I have always 
refused to give any information upon the subject further than to 
say, that he was punished and that he was told what his punish- 
ment was for. Mr. Hubble has quizzed me so thoroughly on the 
subject that I will tell just this much of the circumstance. This 
man had a very pretty girl some fifteen or sixteen years of age, 
and she apparently had very little of the care that was due from 
her father. On one occasion she was given a calico dress by 
some of the good women of the town, and it was noticed that she 
never appeared with it on. Upon inquiry of the girl about the 
matter, she was forced to admit that her father had taken it away 
from her and had pawned it for drink. Sometime thereafter, 
search was made for this recreant gentleman and he was found 
in a nearby place of drink in the old Baker Arcade, and he was 
escorted down the hill, and after a few minutes entertainment, 
the gentleman was permitted to make his escape. I again re- 
fuse to admit that I took any part in it, or to name those who 
did. Promises made even at that early date will hold good yet. 
I never admitted or undertook to tell anybody about it. I have 
been asked if he ever robbed his family any more. I can say in 
good faith that I don't think he ever did while he lived in this 
vicinity. 

While I was in school in Tennessee, I got into a little trouble 
and was punished for it. About twenty years ago my wife and 
myself went back to old Tennessee to make a visit to my early 
home. We were driving along in a road in a buggy, and in 
passing through the country not far from my old home we came 
to a farm with a spring near by, and I requested the driver to 
stop as I wanted to get a drink of water. An elderly lady came 
to the gate when we drove up and I told her that I would be glad 
to get a drink of water from the spring. She asked me to wait 
until she could bring fresh water from the spring. I says, no, 
you need not do that. I says, "where is your husband?" She 
says, "he is out in the field." I says, "I should like to see him 
very much. Your husband whipped me once." She at once be- 
came very much excited and agitated, and I asked her again if 
I might be permitted to see him, and it seemed to worry her so 
much. I said to her: "Madam, you need not feel worried about 
the matter as I was just a boy in school when he whipped me, 
and I am very anxious to see him." She realized the fact that 
it was a school boy frolic and insisted upon my waiting until she 
could call him, but I told her that I had not time as I was going 
to a nearby neighbor. 

I am pretty well acquainted with the people who lived here 
when I came here and soon got well acquainted through business 
relation with the people of the country. I sold goods to the peo- 
ple here and extended more or less credit up to the beginning of 
the war. I believe the only outstanding account that I had when 
I closed business was one account amounting to $1.25, and I had 



IO Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

numerous promises from the man to pay that. I frequently dun- 
ned him, and finaly he came into the store with a fine new knife 
one day and wanted to trade knives. He selected a knife which 
pleased his fancy, and I offered in exchange to take his knife 
and give him six bits to foot. I handed him my knife and took 
his knife and put it in my pocket. I made no offer of the six 
bits. He saw that I had omitted to give him the boot money, and 
he says, "you haven't paid me yet." I remarked to him, "you 
just owed me $1.25 and we will just square that account," and 
in that way I collected my last account. 



FRANCIS MARION SHOCKLEY 

I came to Springfield in 1841 with my father and the family 
from Giles county, Tennessee. As to any further statement I 
can only just say that I acquiesce in the statements made by 
Mr. Holland and the other gentlemen in every particular in re- 
gard to the buildings, improvements and the location of resi- 
dences in this city, except perhaps that I remember Mr. E. M. 
Bearden and Mr. Henry Matlock. They lived over where the 
McGregor warehouse now stands. 



J. F. BROWN 

I arrived here about February 14th, 1853, at 10 a. m. Came 
from Tennessee by way of Berryville, Ark. Stopped at Gen. N. 
R. Smith Hotel, board $1.50 per week. Shortly after my arrival, 
I noticed a crowd collected on the south side of the Public Square, 
they were laughing and making considerable noise. On inquiry 
as to the cause, the General informed me they were burning Rube 
Blakey's whiskey. 

William Ross from Illinois was here, making temperance 
speeches and Rube had been converted and the evening before 
joined the Sons of Temperance. 

You old citizens all remember the nice times we had, many 
beautiful and lovely girls, sociables on every Thursday evening, 
which were open to all, respectable young men were eligible, if 
they respected themselves, money did not count. Those men with 
a taint were given to understand "not wanted." If any man had 
dared to insult one of our girls, Springfield would have been a 
hard road for him to travel. The young men were the girls' pro- 
tectors. 

These same young men visited the sick and nursed them if 
needed; any person in town sick we all heard of it. A strange* 
visiting taken sick, was looked after and the best of care given 
him, if in distress financially, the boys went down in their pock- 
ets. 

Two hundred and fifty was the number of inhabitants claim- 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 1 1 

ed on my arrival. Court house in center of Square. Jail on 
Boonville street, near Water, built of logs, when occupied, Un- 
cle Ev. Hollingsworth had the care of the unfortunate in the 
"Stable," as Judge Chas. S. Yancy dubbed it. 

The preceeding statements so nearly cover the situation that 
I've nothing to add. Actual count of heads of families living in 
Springfield, Mo., March 31, 1853, 280; single men, 36; total pop- 
ulation of Springfield on that date, 316. 



JOHN M. WOODS. 

I was born in Rockford City, Illinois, having moved from 
there when I was two weeks old, in a two-foot snow, and went to 
Tennessee, and was raised in the corner of Giles, Larence and 
Murray counties, Tennessee. My father owned a cotton factory 
in that country and sold it in the year 1851. He came to this 
country and bought property here and returned in 1852, and in 
1853 he moved with his family to this country. 

When I came here there was quite an improvement on the 
Public Square to the condition narrated by these gentlemen pre- 
ceeding me. Beginning at College street and going north, Mr. 
DeBruin had the stand that has been spoken of, and between 
that and the next business place was the business house of Farrer 
& Weaver, for whom Uncle Jesse Kelly was clerking. The first 
time I ever saw Jesse Kelly he was clerking and tailoring. The 
first time I ever remember seeing him he was sewing up a pair 
of fine pants for himself. The next house north of that was 
Fielden's, and then on the north side I don't think there was 
anything more until you got to the Bank building; yes, however, 
there was a little house where the Lancet was published, a news- 
paper edited first by Mr. Davis and afterwards by Mr. Bowen. 
Then the next on the east side of Boonville street were about the 
locations that Mr. Thompson has already mentioned. Painter 
was on the corner, and on the corner of St. Louis street the old 
Temperance Hall was built, a two story brick. From St. Louis 
street south to the corner of the Square I don't think there was 
anything in addition to what Mr. Thompson has mentioned ex- 
cept that somebody occupied a drug store in there, and Dr. 
Shackleford had a dry goods store there. On the south side of 
the Square from the Andrews place to South street, there was a 
little house that nobody has mentioned that old man Troger 
had ; he had a little stand in there. I know I came in one day and 
as I was going out with Wiley Roper to get some crackers, and the 
old counter was lined up with men with guns and pistols and it 
looked like war times. McAdams had a business house on the 
west side, and Rube Blakey's place was on the corner of College 
and the Square. He had a gallery there. Those are about the 
additions that I remember on the Square. 

There were two churchos here when I came, the Christian 



12 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

church on College street, and the Methodist church here that has 
been spoken of, and a Presbyterian church was being built on 
Jefferson street south of Walnut. There was also the Stevens 
Brick School House on Benton Avenue and Water street. Mr. 
Carlton had his College here and was teaching; that was on the 
south side of the Mt. Vernon road which was afterwards named 
College street, after the establishment of his college. Those are 
two of the additions that I remember to the Square and the im- 
mediate streets. There was the Bailey House on South street 
and then the Lyon House constructed in its stead on the east side 
of South street. Then there was Wilson Hackney's place next, 
and those were all the business houses there in that direction as 
I remember it. David 0. George had some kind of a business I 
think back off of the street, or he might have perhaps lived there. 
There was an old log house where the Christian church now 
stands made from white oak logs and weather boarded. 

I have been frequently asked about the number of people 
living here about that time. Now, people generally in talking 
about it, ask me, how many people are there here? Of course 
they would go by the old fifty acre tract. As a rule everybody 
lived on what they called a lot. They didn't have over an acre 
or two acres of ground at that time and they were regarded as 
living in the town, and they claimed a population of 500, and I 
should think that they had that many. 

On Grand Prairie there was the Bragg place, and the Uncle 
Joe Rountree place ; William White was opening a place, and the 
John Rountree place ; the Bill Tatum place ; the John Young- 
place ; the old man Postum place west of the Young place, and 
the Potter place, and the Weaver place ; the William Massey place 
and the Buck Rountree place, and the Bill Robberson place, and 
my father's place. Those constituted all the farms on the prairie, 
and all the rest of the prairie was open and vacant. 

I remember that on the day after the battle of Wilson Creek, 
on Sunday morning, I got on my horse to go down to the battle 
ground, and I struck a bee line as straight as I could go through 
the prairie, and I never let down a fence, or went through any- 
body's gate from the old Weaver farm to the battle ground. 
There was not a farm on the way from there to the battle ground, 
a distance of about eierht miles. 



J. L. CARSON 

I was born and raised in Tennessee and got to Springfield, 
Missouri, July 29th, 1855. 

I found the manufacturing and mechanical "plants" then in 
Springfield to be first in amount of output. John Lair, who had a 
blacksmith and wagon shop at the northwest corner of Jefferson 
and St. Louis streets. There nearly all the plows and wagons 
were made and repaired. I don't remember the number of 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 13 

"fires" he then rim but later he run from four to eight "fires" 
and later made "stocks" and used leather belting and could shoe 
100 mules a day if the drover was in a hurry. Lair's "Prairie 
Breaker" was known for 100 miles and required from four to 
six yoke of oxen to pull it through the tough roots of the prairie 
sod. 

Wm. Mc Adams' saddlery and harness shop was where the 
ten cent store now is. He had several journeymen and appren- 
tices all working hard and steadily from ten to fifteen hours a 
day. All over work was paid for at regular rates and there was 
no strikes nor discontent. 

Presley Beal had a "cabinet shop" at the northwest corner 
of College and Patton Alley, where bedsteads, bureaus, etc., 
were made so strong and good that there are some of them now 
in the city, apparently as good as ever. At the northwest corner 
of Mill and Boonville, Thos. Jessup had a tan yard, where the 
leather used by people was largely made. 

A little further north, on the opposite side of Boonville street 
was Capt. Julian's "carding machine," a very important part of 
our industrial life, and the old ox and the "tread wheel" that 
furnished the motive power was kept steadily at work during 
the carding machine's season. 

Wilson Hackney had a hatter shop a little north of the 
corner of Walnut and South street, and there he made hats that 
lasted so long that sometimes the owners got tired of them. 

Uncle Jake Painter had a gunsmith shop in the northeast 
corner of the Square. It was an important factor in our early 
life. He made and repaired rifles and "Jake's Best," a single 
barrel pistol, was a necessity to all who crossed the plains. The 
"hammer" was on the underside of the barrel and all were 
"sighted and trained" before leaving the shop. He was a gen- 
ial old gentleman and lived to a ripe old age. 

In closing I say I feel some responsibility for these pleasant 
reunions because I introduced our host to his good wife, and a 
few weeks later I had the pleasure of standing by his side when 
he made his vow to honor, love and OBEY Mary J. Powell. How 
well he has kept his vow only she can know, but, judging from 
her appearance, wearing her 67 years without a gray hair in her 
head, I have a right to believe he has kept his promise fairly 
well. 



J. THOMPSON WALKER 

I came to this county on the 12th day of November, 1855. 
I was born in Bedford county, Tennessee. I came here alone. 
There was quite an improvement in the situation here in 1855 
from what has been detailed by the other gentlemen present. 
There were a great many additions to the city at that time. Mc- 
Querter had a hotel on the corner of the Square and Boonville, 



14 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

and there was a little house on the other side which was used as a 
stage office. That was where the bank is now. The next was the 
old Danforth Temperance hall, and after you passed Berry's store 
there was a little frame building' that Ben Smith had a barber shop 
in ; then came Andrews, Shackleford and McElhany, and a little 
house where Mrs. Worrel's building is. There was a little log office 
between it and Sheppard & Kimbrough's store that was used 
for a little office. After you passed Sheppard 's store and across 
from South street on the other corner, was the Braddock Column 
saloon. On the east side of the Square I don't believe there was 
any addition to the buildings named by Mr. Thompson. On the 
west side of the Square, Circle had a clothing store north of Mc- 
Adams' shop. I remember that he had a lawsuit and had Circle 
for a witness, and Mr. Haun was an attorney on the opposite side, 
and Circle swore to a certain state of facts, and when it came 
time for Haun to cross examine him, he says: 

Mr. Circle, you say so and so? Answer. Yes. 

Ques. How do you know that, did you see it? Ans. No, sir. 

Ques. Well, how do you know it? Ans. Hugh Hunt told me. 

Ques. Well then you don't know it? Ans. Oh, yes I do. 

Ques. How do you know? Ans. Why, Hugh Hunt told me 
so. 

And they neevr did get anything else out of him, and the 
matter was submitted to the jury upon that statement. 



A. H. WILSON 

I was born the 21st day of July, 1835, near Murfreesboro, 
Tenn. Came to Springfield in 1854, arriving November 5, after 
a trip of about seven weeks, having left the old home September 
18th. We camped — my father's family — four or five days on 
what is now St. Louis street, on the lot now occupied by the res- 
idence of Harry Silsby. The first acquaintance made was with 
Marion Shockley, who lived on the opposite side of the road from 
our camp. Also made the acquaintance of Peter C. King (who 
afterwards was sheriff of Greene county), Jno. S. Kimbro and 
Samuel Jopes. These gentlemen came to our camp to welcome 
our arrival, as if we were old friends. In those day there was 
no need of the formality of an introduction. Every citizen was 
the friend of each newcomer as long as he proved to be deserv- 
ing. If a man was honest and industrious no questions were 
asked about his past possessions, or whether he was college bred 
or what church he attended, or the thousand and one questions 
now asked. 

The citizens of Springfield and Greene county of that day 
were generally men of education, much of it self-acquired in the 
rude struggle of pioneer life. They were well read upon all the 
« I nest ions relating to the welfare of the nation. In the U. S. Senate 
Thos. H. Benton onee affirmed that "Springfield contained more 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 15 

men familiar with leading political questions of the day than any- 
other 40 acres of the State of Missouri," and I suppose he was 
not far out of the way. 

Jno. Lair was also an acquaintance made at our camp. We 
had a hack with a broken iron axle, which I took to his shop on 
St. Louis street for repairs and foolishly asked him if he could 
mend it; he replied, "I can mend anything, young man." He 
was a shrewd business man and a good and upright citizen, who 
lived by the Golden Rule. As an instance, I heard Bedford Hen- 
slee relate a business transaction with him. He and Mr. Henslee 
had some dealings together in which there was due Mr. Henslee 
a balance of several hundred dollars on an open account, which 
had run for several months, and when settlement was made, in- 
terest was computed and scrupulously paid as if the claim had 
been secured by an interest bearing note. Mr. Lair did much 
for the advancement and upbuilding of Springfield. In connec- 
tion with Monroe Ingram, in 1858, he established the first foun- 
dry and machine shop in the city. It did not prove much of a 
success, but showed his spirit of enterprise. Many others could 
be named who helped to boost Springfield in that early day. 

The enterprise that did most to push Springfield to the front 
in those days and give her a conspicuous place on the map of the 
nation was the Overland Mail Route, which was the forerunner 
of the Southern Pacific Railroad. This was accomplished by the 
arduous and unceasing efforts of the late Governor Jno. S. Phelps 
while in congress. After the passage of the law, there was a very 
strong "pull" for the location of the point of departure for the 
Pacific Coast. Aaron V. Brown of Tennessee, President Buch- 
anan's postmaster general, insisted that Memphis should be the 
starting point, while Governor Phelps and many prominent Mis- 
sourians insisted on St. Louis. While Gov. Phelps was in the 
west looking over the proposed route, the postmaster general was 
using every effort for Memphis. Gov. Phelps was hastily sum- 
moned to Washington, where, after a long and heated discussion, 
the matter was compromised with one line from Memphis — the 
other from St. Louis. The franchise or contract was awarded to 
Jno. Butterfield of New York, a life long stage man of very lim- 
ited education but a man of wonderful energy and a prince of 
organizers. When he arrived in Springfield to look out a loca- 
tion for barn and shops, he created a great interest. Major D. 
D. Berry banqueted him and had many prominent citiens to meet 
him. He was a short, thick man, and it being warm weather he 
wore on the streets a linen duster down to his heels. A good 
many young' men about town got Butterfield Coats, among them 
Brannon Woodson, Billy Hornbeak, Jake Shultz, Jack Leathers 
and others. The fad was short lived. I think they were all dis- 
carded before frost. 

Mr. Butterfield established his barn and shops on the lots 
now occupied by the Reps Dry Goods Co., and part of the lot 



16 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

covered by the Heer Dry Goods Co. Part of the property was 
owned by Jake Painter on which was his gunsmith shop. Mr. 
Butterfield was a man of few words, and approaching Mr. Painter 
.said: "I want to buy your lot." Mr. Painted asked, "What 
will you give?" The answer was, "One thousand dollars." Mr. 
Painter replied, "I will give you the deed tomorrow," and the 
transaction was closed, which I suppose is the shortest real estate 
deal ever made in Springfield. 

Mr. Painter moved his shop to his home lot on the corner of 
Olive street and Patton alley, and it is said he was never again 
seen on the Pubic Square. I, myself, do not remember to have 
seen him away from his shop in the thirty years he lived in 
Springfield, after he moved from the Square. 

It was a red letter day for Springfield, about the middle of 
August, 1858, when the first Overland Coach arrived. The busi- 
ness houses were decorated and men, women and children were 
out on the Public Square in force. If my memory serves me 
right, three coaches came in together — horses and coaches decor- 
ated with flags and ribbons, bugles sounding and horses came up 
Boonville hill at a gallop. Young Jno. Butterfield was on the 
first coach and it was said he made the entire trip through to 
California, but of course he was relieved for rest and sleep. The 
trip took about twenty-one days. 

When Horace Greely of the Tribune and Sam BoAvles of the 
Springfield, Mass., Republican, came through Springfield in Sep- 
tember, 1859, there was quite a turn-out to welcome them, but 
they were only here for a few minutes. 

Warren H. Graves, who had taken much interest in establish- 
ing the line, on every trip received a bundle of daily papers that 
gave later news than came in the regular mails, and there was 
always a rush to see the latest papers and the interest never 
flagged as long as the mail was continued. Among the people 
who were most persistent to get the news were W. B. Logan, Jno. 
S. Kimbro and Col. M. Oliver. 

There was always a crowd to welcome the coaches arrival 
from either east or west; there was seldom a trip that did not 
bring one or more prominent men on the passenger list. 

The saddest time came when in June, 1861, every day brought 
two or three coaches from the west, with a string of horses and 
men going north. And when the great war began in earnest the 
glory of the Overland Mail had departed forever. 



JESSE M. KELLY 

My father settled in this county in the year 1837. I was born 
in 1830 in Greene county, Tenn. My father settled some twenty 
miles northwest of Springfield near Walnut Grove, within three 
miles of where the City of Walnut Grove is situated. My fa- 
ther's name was George W. Kelly. He represented this county 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 17 

in the State Legislature for one term and twice sheriff of this 
county. My father, with his family, passed through Springfield 
and moved to the place heretofore indicated, and I did not again 
see Springfield until I was fifteen or sixteen years old. 

I have heard the statement of Mr. Thompson as to the loca- 
tion of business houses and residences, and of the early inhabi- 
tants of Springfield, and my remembrance of those things is 
about the same as he has narrated, with the exception that I re- 
member that Dr. Shackleford ran a store on the east side of the 
Square ; also that Mr. McAdams had a harness shop on the west 
side of the Square. C. B. and J. L. Holland had a clothing store 
and tailor shop on the west side of the Square, located the next 
door to McAdams. 

My father located northwest of this city about twenty miles 
when all of this country was prairie out in this northwestern di- 
rection and which was unoccupied, all of what is now called 
Grand and Leepers Prairies, and there were no roads through 
the county, excepting there was an old Indian trace that ran from 
a place below here on the creek that was called Delawaretown, 
which came by a little to the west of Springfield, and crossed 
the Osage river at the point where Osceola now stands, and on 
into the country to the northwest to a place called Harmony, Mis- 
sion ; also known as the "Big Road." It had been traveled until 
there were paths for the teams and wagon. My father built his 
cabin close to this road at a little spring. No man in those days 
would settle in this country unless he had a spring of running 
water. The next thing of importance to him, and for which he 
sought, was timber. They seemed to be rather suspicious of this 
prairie land. They did not know whether it would grow corn 
and oats or not. It never had grown any timber and coming 
from a woodland country in Tennessee and North Carolina where 
they didn't know how to make a field unless they hewed it out 
of the forest instead of fencing in the prairie, they would go 
down on a spring branch and chop out and grub and clear three 
or four acres of ground for a field, which would cost them more 
labor than it would have to built a forty acre field in a prairie. 

The neighbors were from one to three miles apart, and de- 
pendant altogether on where the Creator had planted springs for 
a settlement. The country then was full of game. Deer by the 
herds and wild turkeys by the flock, and bands of wolves, and 
occasionally a panther, and a bear or a wild cat, or catamount, 
as we called them, were found. It was a big heavy cat with a 
short tail, perhaps what Roosevelt now calls the Bob cat. The 
men had plenty of leisure in those days, and notAvithstanding 
their privations, visited each other a great deal. A man would 
walk two or three miles to a neighbor's to see how they were 
getting along. No man left his house or went to his neighbors 
without carrying his old flint lock four foot rifle. I guess a 
stranger coming into a country and seeing a man visiting that 



1 8 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

way would have thought it was hardly safe to remain here. It 
would seem that everybody here was up in arms, but they didn't 
carry their guns to protect themselves against mankind, or to 
attack a man, but they didn't know but they might run into a 
wolf or might come across a panther, or something of that kind, 
and if they hadn't meat at home they would kill a deer as they 
went home. I have known my father to pass by a herd of deer 
where there were sometimes twenty in a bunch, where he was 
near enough to shoot, and might have selected the particular deer 
he wanted to kill, and never take his gun off his shoulder. We 
had meat enough at home. 

Every family had its little cotton patch and its little flax 
patch; also a little flock of sheep, and the women folks made 
their Wearing apparel at home. The man for every day wear 
wore brown jeans, sometimes called butternut, in our days, but 
he always had a Sunday suit which his wife had made for him of 
indigo blue, and when he got that on he could strut. The women 
folks made their own dresses. They spun their cotton, dyed the 
colors, and they had blue and pale blue, and white and copperas, 
striped or checked, as fancy pleased them, and when a woman 
could get a few threads of turkey red woven into her dress, when 
she got that on she could strut. 

The grass of the prairies grew very tall, and what paths 
there were through the prairies had gradually been worn down 
by deer and buffalo, and perhaps originally started by the In- 
dians, so that if there was any decline to carry off soil it was 
washed down perhaps a foot or so, and the grass would grow up 
so tall that you could not see the paths ; it would just fall over 
and cover them. I have gone with my trousers wet way above 
the knees along those paths from the dew in the morning hunt- 
ing my horses to plow, as we turned them out every night on 
the grass. In the fall of the year when the grass would be dry 
and a fire would get started, if the wind was high, it would 
take a pretty fleet horse to keep out of the way. 

From where my father built his house, his first cabin, to 
where he made his little field in the edge of the prairie, it was 
about half a mile away and the ground was covered with prairie 
grass the same as on the prairies, but here and there was a large 
oak tree. He kept the fire out of that for protection, and it 
grew in sprouts. The next year or two they had grown to 
bushes, and then got to be saplings, and at last time I saw that 
timber over forty years ago, it would have made six rails to the 
cut. That is how the timber grows in this country. 

A man thought in those days that he must have 100 acres of 
timber to every forty acres of prairie. But the timber grew 
fast and then it could not be disposed of. 

Now in respect to the houses that people built in those days, 
they were made of rough logs and usually about sixteen feet 
square. There wasn't a nail in them nor a piece of iron. They 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 19 

were what we called rib and weight pole roofs. The ribs were 
laid length wise to hold the boards, and the boards were laid on 
ribs and the weight polls were laid on the boards to hold them 
down. The doors were made of clapboards similar to those on the 
roof, generally four feet long and nearly a foot wide. They made 
a good roof, and the doors were hung on wooden hinges. They 
had a wooden latch on the inside with a string tied to it and a 
hole above it and the string hung on the outside. If you were 
outside and wanted to get in, all you had to do was to pull the 
string, and I suppose that is the origin of the phrase that the 
"latch string hangs on the outside." The sleeping arrangements 
in those cabins consisted merely of what we called a one post 
bedstead. That is to say, a post was placed in the floor and an 
auger hole was bored in the wall on one side and into the wall on 
the opposite corner, and poles were placed in those holes extend- 
ing across to the upward pole, and boards were laid across, and 
on top of that we had a straw tick. We also had what we called 
a trundle bed, which was built low enough to be pushed under 
this bed which was to be used by the children, and in our house 
there were three of us children, and we could all lie with our 
heads in one way upon the bed. After a while there was another 
one sent down from the big bed, and there were four of us. 
Then we had to turn, two heads one way and two the other way, 
and our feet went in between each other. After a while, when 
there got to be five of us in the trundle bed, and we could not 
be fitted in that way, we had to be put cross ways, and I, being 
the oldest boy, by that time I was too long and I had to either let 
my head hang out on one side or my feet on the other, and I 
guess I let my feet hang out the most for they are bigger than 
my head, and that accounts for the wearing of a number nine 
shoe instead of a number seven. 

I will tell you gentlemen, those sturdy old industrious pion- 
eers had more energy, more grit, and more sand than money, and 
they opened up this country and built up its commerce ; they 
with their wives, those women who made personal sacrifices and 
endured the greatest of hardships, they are the parents of a race 
of people that cannot be excelled anywhere in the world. They 
were as noble as Spartans; and amongst their descendants we 
might pick out men of learning and men of genius. I don't 
want to call names of the old pioneers because I would have to 
leave some of them unmentioned, they were all alike. I say 
among the descendants of those people we might pick out law- 
yers and lawmakers, doctors, school teachers, preachers, some 
politicians, and maybe if some one was ambitious enough, that 
we might have found one among the number who could have 
taken Teddie's place. 

During those early days we had no schools. My mother 
taught four of us children how to read and spell at home. We 
had no chairs in the house except two that were tied to the rear 



20 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

end of the wagon when they moved from Tennessee, and the 
posts were worn half an inch deep from rubbing against the feed 
trough. My father split the timbers out, what we called punch- 
eons, and put legs in them for his children to sit on. Among 
those was one some five or six fee long. My mother would set 
us four children on a bench, and while she was about her cook- 
ing and house work she would teach us, and if we found a word 
we could not spell we would put our linger on it and turn the 
book to her, and she would pronounce it for us, and we would 
go on. By that means we learned to read. I do not remember 
just when the free school system was organized in this country. 
We had at first a three months school commencing in the sum- 
mer, and the boys would go a few weeks after the corn was laid 
by, and after the school was closed the teacher had to wait for 
the trustees to make their return of his school and draw his 
money for it the following year. We seldom had the same teacher 
two years, and every teacher would turn the boys back in their 
books, and they were just as far as they were at school beforel 
He turned them back, some to "Baker" and some to "Amity." 
These were the first words in the lessons of the old blue book 
speller. I know boys who had gone to school a little while each 
year, ten or twelve years, and could not read. 

I would like to speak of the things of which we were de- 
prived and which the younger people may think indispensible to 
business and comfort, and of our substitutes therefor ; we had no 
railroads, but we had our ox teams and horse teams which en- 
abled us to transport any of our products to market. We hauled 
our wheat to Boonville. We had no telegraph or telephone, but 
we had a substitute, we called it the "dinner horn." It was 
made from the largest and longest ox horn and had a suitable 
mouthpiece carved in the small end with an opening to the hollow 
of the horn. Any woman or 10 year old boy or girl could blow 
this horn so that it might be heard from one to three miles away. 
This horn was used to call the men from their work to breakfast, 
dinner or supper, but if heard at any other hour of the day or 
night, it was known as a signal for help. 

Everybody knew the tone of every settlers' horn, and when 
heard at any hour between meal hours, every man within hearing 
distance started at once for the cabin from where the summons 
came. The cabin might be surrounded by a pack of wolves, a 
panther or a wild cat might have been seen in a tree, some one 
might have been bitten by a snake, for snakes were numerous 
in those days, or a child might be lost in the woods, or a boy had 
fallen from a tree. 

Once my father was plowing, when a neighbor's dinner horn 
blew at an unusual hour and in less time than it takes to tell it, 
my father was astride the plow horse and off at a gallop to the 
cabin where the horn had blown. No roads, but everybody knew 
the location of the cabins by corners. 

We had no new Jangled harness in those days. Our harness 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 21 

was fastened with a leather strap with a knot on the end, it was 
passed through a hole in each side of the names and with one 
turn below, the knot was brought around and tightened with a 
loop, and all you had to do was to give a jerk to the other end 
and the hames were opened and the horse walked out of his har- 
ness, and the driver was astride him in a minute. 

I have heard old men say, "I would like to live my life over 
again, if I were allowed to correct mistakes," but I would like 
to go back to 1837 and come up through all the deprivations, la- 
bor, exposures, joys and disappointments, rather than to quit and 
go away. 

And now, may I wish that our friend, Martin J. Hubble, who 
has so kindly honored us with an invitation to meet and talk with 
him about old times, and all you old friends, if it were possible, 
may live as long as I would like to. 



HON. L. H. MURRAY 

The history of any country is that of her people. It would 
recognize along the corridors of past time, persons whose marked 
individuality render them conspicuous among their fellows. That 
of Greene county presents here and there, such characters, wrest- 
ing her wastes of land from nature's state; developing her latent 
resources or giving to her growth a fresh momentum by inviting 
immigration to her boundaries. 

Originally the Osage Indians occupied this part of Missouri. 
Then the Delawares from Ohio and Indiana, and the Kickapoos 
when being removed to their "reservation," were located here 
for a time. Old Bob Patterson settled in what was called Greene 
now in Webster county, in 1821. John P. Campbell, John Ed- 
wards, Wm. Fulbright, Joseph Miller, James Massey and others 
with their families, settled in the vicinity of what is now Spring- 
field in 1829. John P. Campbell was one of the leading early set- 
tlers and the founder of Springfield, where he resided from the 
time of its first settlement till his death in 1849. Radford Canne- 
fax and family arrived in 1831. Judge Charles Yancey in 1830, 
and Joseph Burden and Joseph Rountree soon afterwards. The 
pioneer life of these first settlers was varied ; their experiences 
arc- full of reminiscences worthy of record. The journey to St. 
Louis (their source of most supplies) over mere bridle paths, of- 
ten for necessaries of life, broke the monotony of frontier life. 

The county was organized January 2nd, 1833, and named in 
honor of General Nathaniel Greene of revolutionary renown. It 
then embraced nearly all the State south of the Osage river west 
of Phelps county. During the year 1834, John Mooney and 
Thos Patterson, with their families, settled on James river, about 
seven miles south of Springfield. At the first election in 1834, 
Joseph Weaver was sent to the Senate, J. D. Shannon to the 
House, and Chesley Cannefax was chosen sheriff. Springfield 



22 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

was selected as the county seat in 1836, at which time none of 
the lands were owned in fee, but all held alike as squatters. In 
1836 the first frame house was built by Benjamin Cannefax, and 
in 1837 the first bricks were burned and a chimney built there- 
from, which attracted general attention, being the first of that 
kind in the place. In 1839 the United States Land Office was 
opened at Springfield, but for a few years during the war it was 
removed to Boonville for safety. Joel Haden was the first Re- 
ceiver and a Mr. Brown the first Register, and Junius T. Camp- 
bell the first postmaster. 

The first court house was built in 1839 and burned in 1861. 
The present building situated on the west side of the Public 
Square was commenced before the war and was not completed 
until after its close. 

For several years after the settlers came, the Delaware In- 
dians constituted by far the largest part of the inhabitants. They 
occupied beautiful lands surrounded by lovely groves of walnuf, 
sycamore, etc., on the banks of Wilson Creek. In 1810 they re- 
luctantly ceded the country to the U. S. Government, taking in 
exchange lands near Kansas City, to which they at once removed. 
This opened the country for settlement and immigration poured 
in rapidly. 

In the early days of our city it was the custom of the inhibi- 
tants to perch upon some of the many stumps in the middle of 
the Square and look afar off down the Old White River trace 
(now St. Louis St.) and tell with perfect certainty an approach- 
ing vavalcade of Tennesseans, Carolians, Kentuckians, or Old 
Virginians. The Tennesseans would be moving along in wagons 
with upturned wagon beds— loaded with precious white-headed 
children, as regular in height as stair-steps, drawn by two horses 
and a mule spike. The Carolinians would be straddled on mules 
and jacks. Tennesseans always had a grease bucket to lubri- 
cate the running gear part of the wagons ; Carolinians had tar- 
buckets filled with Carolina pine tar, to heal up the bruises and 
grow the hair tight on the naked places of their dumb brutes. 
Tennesseans were bareheaded, barefooted, and wore copper col- 
ored breeches, with legs run through about a foot and a half too 
far; Carolinians high quartered black leather shoes, and were 
afraid of snakes. A flint-lock gun and a dog of the "Sooner" 
kind always was a part of Old Virginians. This was 75 years 
ago and but few of these witnesses are now living. Jacob Painter 
was one, however, whose memory was not treacherous, and in 
his old age could look upon the historic panorama of Springfield, 
and paint in simple and interesting colors to the edification of 
all who love the early history of their home. Jacob was a na- 
tural born angler, and many years ago would while away the 
whole of a Sabbath Day on the banks of the Jordan with a pin 
hook and a paw-paw pole without a nibble, which, however, 
never discomfitted his placid and even temper. There being no 
churches and houses of worship then, he regarded this not only 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 23 

harmless but a beautiful study of one part of the great book of 
Nature. The smallpox came to Springfield one time and Jacob 
took to the brush. After many weeks he cauiously returned, and 
was surprised to find so many people still living. 

The early Democrats of Southwest Missouri sent John S. 
Phelps to Congress ; Burton A. James to the Senate ; John W. 
Hancock to the Legislature ; made General Nicholas R. Smith 
known to the country then as "Old Skip," a Major General of 
Militia ; Charles S. Yancy, a Circuit Court Judge ; John P. Camp- 
bell, a receiver of public moneys ; Joel Haden, register of the land 
office, and Robert J. McElhany, postmaster. These men were the 
Democratic leaders in this portion of the state. 

Father Haden was the organizer of the Christian Church in 
Southwest Missouri, and in the latter part of July of each year, 
one week before the election, all Christians attended the protract- 
ed meeting of Father Haden, and for many years that meeting 
decided the election. Father Haden aspired to the gubernatorial 
chair of state in 1846, and a Democratic primary was called to 
meet at Forsyth, Taney county. Father Haden, Yancy and others 
attended to get instructions in favor of the former. The day's 
proceedings were a little refractory, but Haden 's friends were 
working up things late at night, and all of the delegates came out 
for him except one — Stallcup. L. Y. C. T. Huddlestone, a great 
friend of Haden 's and a member of his church, was talking it 
into Stallcup, what a good man Haden was ; he was the smartest 
man, the best and the damndest wire puller in the whole Demo- 
cratic party. Father Haden stepped into the hotel about then, 
and Huddlestone appealed to him to know if what he had said 
about him was not the truth. Haden patronizingly said, "Why 
yes, Bro. Huddlestone, I am just like a jug handle." "There!" 
says Huddlestone to Stallcup, "I told you so." Stallcup, in the 
language of Bro. Huddlestone, "caved," and southwest Missouri 
was solid with her seven delegates for Haden in a convention of 
113, and it was never broken, either up or down. This was the 
first defeat the Democracy of southwest Missouri ever received, 
although it was always on hand with a candidate for any office 
in the state. 

J. P. Campbell donated fifty acres to the county for its cap- 
ital, and in the northeast corner made a reservation in which was 
an unsounded well of pure water. That well is now in the center 
of Water street. 

In 1840, General Nicholas R. Smith kept the Union Hotel, 
situated on the north side of the Public Square and east of Boon- 
ville street. No man ever kept a more popular inn than Smith. 
The reception room of the hotel was large and comfortable in 
winter, and the lawn and upper piazzas the retreat in summer, 
for the whole town. Here the hunt was organized and the fish- 
ing parties made up, the newspapers read and politics exhaust- 
ingly discussed. 

Cyrus Stark, a lawyer, in 1838, established and edited the 



24 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

first newspaper in Springfield, the same being called "The Ozark 
Standard." It was sold to Mitchell and E. D. McKinney, a law- 
yer and son-in-law of J. P. Campbell. It became involved finan- 
cially, and under a mortgage under control of Gov. Phelps was 
sold and purchased by Phelps, and the "Springfield Advertiser" 
took the place of the "Standard and Eagle." In 1840 Warren 
H. Graves, a brother-in-law of Gov. John C. Edwards, and Liv- 
ingston Edwards and Judge Patrick Edwards, took charge of it 
and made it the most popular paper ever published in Southwest 
Missouri. 

Governor Phelps was elected to the legislature in 1840, de- 
feating one Sharks. The Lancet, edited by Joshua Davis and 
John M. Richardson, was established, and afterwards the Spring- 
field Mirror, the first and only Whig paper ever published in the 
county. James W. Boren was its editor and publisher. So many 
newspapers in so sparsely settled country caused confusion, bolt- 
ing and independent thinkers, and parties lost to some extent 
control of their members, since when Springfield has been a nur- 
sery of politicians and could trot out one or a dozen athletic in- 
tellects any time to champion any question, home or foreign. 

Thomas H. Benten once said of Springfield that its inhabi- 
tants were more generally posted in the affairs of government 
than any other forty acres of land in the United States. Stark, 
Mitchell, McKinney, Hubbard, Fisher, Graves, Davis, Boren, 
Richardson and Smith were our newspaper men from 1838 to 
1860. They were assisted by Phelps, M. Boyd, Campbell, Bailey, 
Wilks, Haden, Cunningham, McBride, Judge Yancy, Bedford, 
Waddill, Price, McElhany, Claude Jones, Sheppard, Owens and 
Hubble. 

In 1844 Gov. Phelps was elected to Congress on the general 
ticket and for eighteen years served the district, state and coun- 
ty with distinguished ability and great honor and credit to him- 
self. Among the many acts with which he was connected was 
the grant of land to build the 35th parallel railroad, and to him 
belongs the credit of running the overland mail from St. Louis 
to California. Phelps was out on the plains viewing the country 
between this city and Albuquerque when the Post Master Gen- 
eral was about starting the mail. The Post Master General was 
Aaron V. Brown of the state of Tennessee, could establish the 
points anwyhere in the Mississippi Valley and on the coast of 
California as starting points. Senator Trusten Polk had been 
sent to Washington to urge St. Louis as the point for the Valley. 
He signally failed and on Phelps' return from the plains he heard 
of what was going on. Without rest he went to Washington City 
and after a long and angry discussion with President Buchanan, 
his cabinet, and the Post Master General, succeeded in having 
the points made at St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn. 

Leonard H. Sims was also elected to Congress from Greene 
county in 1844. Phelps and Sims were elected on the General 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 25 

State ticket. At no other time in the history of the state was 
two Congressmen elected from one county at the same time. 

In 1846 the state was divided into five congressional districts, 
and each Congressman was elected from his own district. 

In 1818-9 the Jackson resolutions, so-called, were denounced 
by Senator Benton. He appealed to the people and a minority 
party known as the Benton or softs, sprung up in the state, and 
in many counties the Whigs and Softs miscegenated and defeat- 
ed the "hordes" or the National Democratic party of the state. 
In 1858 the Bentons and Whigs united on Marcus Boyd and 0. 
B. Smith for the Legislature, and Frank T. Frazier for the Sen- 
ate. That was the most bitter and unrelenting canvass ever made 
in Greene county. Smith was a young man just from the master- 
ly hands of John A. Stephens, a gentleman of rare culture and 
finished education, who founded the Springfield Academy, and 
he had in five years developed Smith into a strong man intellec- 
tually and a dangerous foe in the hustings. The canvass of the 
county was thorough and complete and Smith was the classical 
"Eagle of Oratory" in that canvass. He was the first man in 
southwest Missouri, who, with a manly voice, advocated the 
equality of all men before the laws of God and man. 

At an early date D. D. Berry, C. B. and J. L. Holland, James 
R. Danforth, Junius T. Campbell, Sheppard & Jaggard, Caleb 
Jones, W. B. Logan, D. Johnson & Co., oicupied stores fronting 
on the Square. There were no business houses on any of the 
streets until about 1815. One John DeBruin opened a very large 
assortment of goods on the Court House lot, College street and 
Public Square, and for years did more business than any of the 
other stores. The staples he would always sell at a sacrifice in 
order to sell his other goods at a fair profit, and his cheap store 
was by that means heralded throughout Southwest Missouri and 
Northern Arkansas. He held his customers for many years, left 
here, went to St. Louis, and died. 

Bentley Owens, Junius Rountree, Frank Bigbee, Dr. Cald- 
well, Col. Pony Boyd, Ab. McKinty and S. S. Vinton were clerks 
in the stores then. The Court House was in the middle of the 
Square- — two stories and a pigeon garret in height. No man ever 
held an office so long as did Esquire Peter Apperson, except he 
was a king. Elected Justice of the Peace in 1837, he continually 
presided until 1861, and believing his duties or something else 
demanded his immediate presence at Rolla on the morning of the 
11th of August, 1861, it being a Sunday, he precipitated in the 
direction of Rolla and opened his office soon thereafter, and met- 
ed out justice to soldier and civilian with a ready and bountiful 
hand. He was a good collector of his fees, but on one occasion 
he could neither fall back on plaintiff, defendant, county or state, 
and that was a case no law had been provided for. One D. C. 
Smith and James Stalling had collided and each of them received 
severe knife wounds. Apperson had them arrested, they de- 
manded a jury, and were two days in getting one unbiased. By 



26 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

this time Smith and Stalling- had made friends and each of them 
plead guilty, but the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and 
Esquire Apperson never did satisfy his mind about that case to 
the day of his death, which took place in 1864, leaving a pet dog 
and a gander, his only worldly possessions. There were worse 
men than Esquire Apperson. 

In the month of August, 1837, Judge Chas. S. Yancy, whilst 
defending himself from a felonious assault made upon his person 
by one Roberts, shot and killed his assailant. Yancy surrender- 
ed himself to the authorities and was discharged because the 
homicide was done in self defense. In 1838, one Britt stabbed 
and killed one Reno, and in 1841 one Shanks shot and killed 
Davis. Shanks was arrested, but made his escape. These three 
deaths were on the Square. 

General Nicholas R. Smith was receiver and Gen. Jas. H. 
McBride register in the general land office at Springfield. Lands 
were sold first by public outcry, and for six weeks a great crowd 
of people were in attendance as purchasers at the sale, and it 
was exceedingly tedious as every piece of money, big and little, 
had to be examined and counted by the receiver, and the money 
must be coin of the United States. One McQueen had set up a 
little kingdom on White River, and had supplied his neighbors 
with money from his mint, which was very similar to the United 
States coin and passed about as current except at the land office. 

The county and town from 1840 to 1850 rapidly improved, 
the increase in population being from 5,000 to 12,785, and by 
that time nearly all the arable lands were entered up by actual 
settlers, and the county was spotted with comfortable farms and 
farm houses. A rich trade opened up with the Southern states 
on horses and mules, prices ranging from $150 to $200. Apper- 
son, Matlock, Campbell, Crenshaw, Haden, Fulbright, Weaver, 
Cannefax, Shackleford, Hancock, Lair, Corbin Holland and others 
were drivers of horses and mules from this county. Morton, Ha- 
den, Thompson, Hubble, Janes, Massey, Langston and others, 
drove cattle to Independence and Leavenworth City, and sold 
them at fair profits. Hogs were driven to the St. Louis market, 
and furs, peltries, dried fruit, beeswax, etc., etc., were freighted 
to Boonville. 

Springfield in 1860 and 1861 was headquarters of the two 
antagonisms in Southwest Missouri. Douglass and Brecken- 
ridge, political parties had perfect organizations, and were fierce 
and bitter, the one charging upon the other secession, and the 
other repelling the charge with vehemence and acrimony. Clai- 
born Fox Jackson was elected Governor over Sample Orr of our 
county, the Union candidate, so-called. The legislature in the 
month of February, 1861, called a special election of delegates to 
a convention of the state. Littlebury, Hendrick and Sample Orr 
were elected from this, and Robert Jemison from Webster county, 
as Union delegates. That short canvass caused each and every 
citizen to choose his flag — and from the 18th day of February, 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 27 

1861, business was suspended and secret organizations formed. 
In May following the two opposing parties met at Springfield. 
The Secession element of the people had a barbecue near the Ful- 
bright spring. Peter S. Wilkes, Representative Hancok, Frazier 
and W. C. Price, Cols. Campbell and Freeman were the 
leading spirits of the Southern cause. Col. Phelps, Col. Marcus 
Boyd, Sample Or, General Holland, Col. Sheppard and Thos. J. 
Bailey were the leaders on the Union side. Several thousand Un- 
ion men met at Col. Phelps' farm south of town, with every kind 
and species of destructive weapons, organized a double regiment 
with Phelps as Colonel, Marcus Boyd, Lieutenant-Colonel; and 
Sample Orr and Pony Boyd, Majors. Col. Dick Campbell was sent 
with a flag of truce by the opposing element to confer with Col. 
Phelps about raising a flag on the court house. Col. Phelps agreed 
that the ladies might raise the State flag and he would raise above 
it the Stars and Stripes. This compromise prevented a deadly con- 
flict of the two forces on that day. It, however, was only for a 
time, as the future terribly revealed. On that memorable day, 
fathers were on one side and sons on the other ; Estrangements, 
even to bitterness of hate, severed the peace and happiness of 
many families in Greene county. Business partners, friends and 
neighbors became enemies. Sigel came and Lyon came, and for 
a few weeks gave confidence and hope to the Unionists. Wilson 
Creek battle, on the 10th of August, 1861, with the death of Gen- 
eral Lyon, blasted all repose, and Sigel, with a crippled remnant 
of a beaten and discouraged army, retreated from Springfield the 
early morn of the 11th of August towards Rolla, Missouri. A 
wave of refugees, black and white, old and young, longer and 
wider, in a solid column, than the tail of a comet, and all 
were on double quick time, army march — every man for himself, 
and no one to this day who was in that memorable exodus will 
admit that he was in the rear; but each one will say that as he 
looked back he could see clouds of dust and moving, living pano- 
rama of humanity on the git, with eyes opened and fixed on the 
east. One officer, high in authority and confidence of the Dutch 
commander, had no wagons or other accoutrements for his regi- 
ment. He pressed a wagon and a pair of mules and loaded it 
with seven barrels of whiskey and a half box of hard tack for his 
fragmentary regiment of five hundred men on a retreat of one 
hundred and fifty miles. This officer, with great presence of mind 
and forecast of the future in loading his single wagon for his 
men, fed them and twice as many refugees most sumptuously, 
with the choice of all the commissaries of the command for seven 
days, and had two barrels of whiskey left, seventeen wagons and 
teams, loaded with hard tack, country cured hams, sugar, coffee 
and molasses. 

The year 1861 exceeded by far any year before or since in 
the products of the farms in Greene county. The inhabitants, 
Lyon and Sigel 's army, Fremont and Hunter's army, McCullough 
and Price's army, were all wastefully supplied on its crops for 



28 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

two years, and much of it into the third year. Over $3,000,000 
of claims for quartermasters stores and commissary supplies to 
the Army of the Union have been filed against the government by 
the people of the county for the crop of the year 1861, and no 
good reason to doubt the justness of any single claim, all of 
which will be liquidated by the government in time. 

In July, 1861, L. A. D. Crenshaw, Dr. E. T. Robbertson and 
S. H. Boyd, ardent Unionists, conceived the idea that unless 
Southwest Missouri received immediate relief from the govern- 
ment the Union element would fall into the hands of Calibe Jack- 
son's forces, and they determined on going to St. Louis and im- 
pressing upon the Union men of St. Louis the necessity of hold- 
ing Southwest Missouri secure ; and one evening on horseback the 
three started for Rolla. Dr. Robbertson was acquainted with 
every path and road in the county and could travel them in the 
night as well as he could in the day time. Each one was riding 
a gray horse, and after dark they were traveling in a narrow 
pathway through the woods east of Springfield, Dr. Robbertson 
in the lead. They passed men — crowds of men, until after mid- 
night, horseback and on foot and not a word was said, spoken or 
passed between them. The town of Rolla was filled up with ex- 
cited men, and all rebels. No train had been to Rolla for three 
days. They got W. H. Graves of the firm of Graves & Faulkner 
to hire them a hack to get out of the town and to St. James. 
They had gone but four miles and discovered a large train of 
cars just moving up the Dillon grade of the road. It was Sigel 
and his regiment of Dutch on their way to Springfield. 

Very soon they met Sigel and he learned the situation at 
Rolla, and gave orders to surround the town; and with about 
one-half of his regiment, newly uniformed, with bright, bristling 
muskets, moved through the woods onto the town. Some 300 or 
400 men had gathered in the town and many were boasting of 
how easy it would be for them to whip all the Dutch in St. Louis. 
Faulkner & Graves' large commission house was crowded with 
men, and one old fellow who was spokesman was hoping the 
Dutch would come so he could go for them. While he was thus 
talking some one come into the room and said, "By G — d, the 
Dutch are here now upon us!" The old man and all the others 
stepped out on the platform, and looking down the road sure 
enough saw through the opening woods about 400 yards distant 
the bristling soldiery moving down upon them. Not a word was 
spoken, not an order was given, but the sight was enough, and 
no fixed opinion of any 400 men was as quickly changed. The 
old man turned pale and with one bound cleared the railroad 
track and down the track he ran as never civilian ran before — 
all his courageous comrades following their gallant leader. After 
running about a mile they were pressing through a deep cut in 
the road about a quarter of a mile in length. As the old man 
and his men were about passing out the west end of the cut; 
thinking he was safe for awhile, to his astonishment 100 or more 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 29 

of those same Dutch raised up out of the brush on the side of the 
road, and bringing down their bayonetted muskets on the old 
man and his company, said, ''Halt, dare! Vot d — n velers is 
you anyhow?" It is needless to say the old man and his entire 
company then and there surrendered, body and soul and all their 
possessions then present and in expectancy to the men who fight 
mit Sigel. 

The extended and growing commerce with Greene county, 
through its chief city, Springfield, enjoys, is largely owing to its 
advantage of location and extent of areable land. The power be- 
hind the throne — the agricultural wealth of the county, encourag- 
ed and sustained the city until it was enabled to lay aside its 
swaddling clothes and boldly take possession of the key to the 
commerce of the great Southwest, which it holds today more con- 
fidently than ever before. 

At the breaking out of the Civil war, our city contained 
about 2,000 inhabitants, and although not larger than many of 
the seats of surrounding counties, today, it was then as now, the 
most prosperous and important town in a commercial point of 
view in Southwest Missouri. The merchants and traders of those 
days were enterprising and their mantle has fallen upon their 
successors, and they have kept in van, and by their 
shrewd and capable management of private and public 
affairs not only placed Springfield in the advance among 
the inland towns of Missouri, but constantly urged its 
growth and influence to the utmost limit. The war summarily 
checked this happy progress. In no part of this distressed state 
tions which gave rise to civil war. Neighbors found themselves 
arrayed suddenly one against the other ; the energy which had 
characterized our people was none the less apparent now that it 
had turned from the channels of industry into those of strife, and 
the great highways leading from our city to the north, south, 
east and west, which were wont to respond with the cheery greet- 
ings of the hundreds of wagoners, who were the patient and 
plodding means of social and business intercourse, were filled 
with the advancing or retreating forces of Federal or Confederate. 
Springfield was from a military, as it had been from a commercial 
view, a strategic point, and its possession throughout the war 
was bitterly contended for. During the entire struggle it was 
held as a base of supplies and operations by one or other of the 
contending armies, and not until peace had been fully declared 
and effectually accomplished was any attempt made towards re- 
pairing the enormous waste of property and vitality incident to 
that terrible five years storm. 

But such was the spirit of our then stricken and shattered 
little city that no sooner did the sun of peace once more send 
forth its genial rays and assert the brotherhood of man, than she 
threw off the weeds of woe and at once set about to rebuild the 
waste places. Soldiers, whom the chances of war had assigned 
to this locality, returned to their homes with marvelous stories 



30 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

of its wondrous charms, and about the year 1866, a tide of immi- 
gration set in from the four points of the compass, which con- 
tinued uninterrupted until 1870. Every stage from the north 
and east was loaded to the guards with those who had left their 
homes with the intention of making an abode with us. As a con- 
sequence, money was plentiful, business houses multiplied and 
property advanced to a fictitious valuation — all of which tended 
to a suicidal extravagance in the matter of building not war-; 
ranted by the class of immigrants received. The town soon out- 
grew the country tributary to its local trade, and about the year 
1873, shortly after the completion of the St. Louis and San Fran- 
cisco railroad, a reaction occurred from which it took several 
years to recover. The mushroom population whose presence add- 
ed to value only in numbers, disappeared as suddenly as it had 
come, and while in itself detracted nothing from our real 
status, it had a disheartening effect, which told unhappily for us 
upon values. 

But all this like the looping off of superfluous limbs from a 
healthy tree, was, altogether, beneficial. AVhile the city was at 
a standstill, the county as a whole, was making rapid improve- 
ments. Enterprising, intelligent, farmers filled the vacancy in 
our population caused by the fleeing idlers from town. Under 
their careful and experienced supervision the rich lands through- 
out the county which had hidden talents, were made to ecpialize 
the ruinous differences heretofore existing between town and 
country, and the result was soon visible in an improved condition 
of affairs. From that date our growth has been substantial, 
never waivering or at a standstill, until we have a population of 
40,000 in the city, and nearly as many more in the county. 

During all this time through seasons of business prosperity 
or depression, the energetic merchants of Springfield have con- 
stantly maintained and increased its commerce to meet the con- 
tinuous demands upon our enterprise, and to facilitate trade. 
The old land-marks in business portions of the city have one by 
one, given way to stately and commodious structures. Capital 
has been freely invested in valuable public improvements until 
today, in point of commercial importance, solidity, attractiveness 
and population, Springfield ranks among the most ambitious cit- 
ies of our state. What is known as the ''Arkansas trade" has, 
and with proper attention, always will be, an item of importance 
to the wholesale merchants of Springfield. This territory em- 
braces the leading towns and crossroads places of business in 
Northern Arkansas, this side of the Boston Mounains. It now 
amounts to many millions per annum and is being yearly in- 
creased. 

The wholesale trade of Springfield is not, however, confined 
to adjacent counties in Missouri and the section of Arkansas just 
mentioned, but has lately been pushed into Kansas, Oklahoma and 
Texas. Our ambitious merchants and dealers in their zeal, hav- 
ing the temerity to jostle the far reaching business firms of Kan- 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 31 

sas City, St. Louis and Chicago that operate in this latter named 
trade territory. 

It will not be out of place to give in this connection a few 
facts relative to the wholesale business, that an adequate idea 
may be formed of its importance. Some of our mercantile firms 
last year sold from $500,000 to $1,000,000 each. Several others 
made sales reaching- from $150,000 to $250,000. In addition to 
this there are several other houses jobbing in a smaller way in 
connection with their retail business. 

Our manufacturing establishments, although creditable in 
point of number and efficiency, by no means occupy the field. 
The enormous extent of territory tributary, its advantages of lo- 
cation, and the ever increasing demand for the multiplicity of 
articles that at present are in many instances shipped hundreds 
of miles at great expense, and then re-shipped from this point, 
convinces one who gives the subject proper attention, that 
Springfield must become a manufacturing center of unusual im- 
portance. Those now in operation, although inaugurated at a 
time so unfavorable as to cause a struggle for existence, have 
outgrown their difficulties and prospered. 

Springfield's first bank was a branch of the Missouri State 
Bank located here in 1846, where the National Exchange Bank 
is now located. D. D. Berry was its president and James R. Dan- 
worth its cashier. It was well conducted and very popular. Our 
banking facilities have grown rapidly during the last two de- 
cades ; deposits have increased from $500,000 to more than five 
million dollars. The fact that the money fright has passed by 
without leaving a scar, is sufficient evidence of their soundness 
and careful management. 

Last but not least, we want to thank New York and Boston 
capitalists for building us a railroad from St. Louis to Spring- 
field in 1870. Especially, Andrew Peirce, Jr., and Francis B. 
Hayes, who made it possible for a farmer to get the freight re- 
duced from $25.00 to $5.00 on reapers, and buy a barrel of salt 
for $1.50 that once cost $10.00, and everything else in proportion. 
Abuse them as we have ; curse them as we may. Southwest Mis- 
sourt owes a debt of gratitude and thanks to those noble men, 
bigger than Ozarks. 



CAPT. MARTIN J. HUBBLE 

I had in mind to make for this occasion a list of ten men 
who had done most in the early days to make it possible for their 
successors to build our beautiful city. 

It can't be done with ten, so we will write of the deeds of 
our ancestors at our next dinner when we will have narrations of 
their upbuilding in the early days and personal reminiscences 
illustrating the forcef illness of the "Fathers in Israel." 

As all of my lists include Col. John P. Campbell, William 



32 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

Fulbright, Joseph Rountree and Rev. Joel H. Hayden, and from 
there on diverge, it is safe to say that those four must be in any 
list and I can talk about them. 

I will speak of them as they are put down in my lists. Col. 
John P. Campbell was born in Mecklenburg county, N. C. ; son 
of John Campbell, who came from Sotcland. He was 6 feet 2 
inches high, had brown curly hair, slender in build, "grey eyes 
like a hawk, and a nose like an eagle." So my informant said, 
his eyes when angry or excited became dark and when aroused 
he showed that if he had lived in the days of Cromwell he would 
have rode with clan "ow'er the border wie' Charlie," swing- 
ing his "Claymore" in the front rank. He came to Springfield 
in December, 1828, but had been here before and spied out the 
land. He was polished and affable, or "rough and ready" as 
the occasion required and his power to move men to do his will 
must have been wonderful. 

I give one instance. One of the most forceful and dominant 
men I have ever known in Springfield told me that he was going 
to Neosho and stopped his wagon and team on St. Louis street, 
and got out to make some purchases and before he got the chains 
of the team unhooked, Col. Campbell came up and introduced 
himself, and asked, "Where he was bound for, and what is your 
business?" When told, Col. Campbell said: "You don't want 
to go to Neosho, there is nothing for you to do there and here 
there is plenty of work," and to prove it he showed him how to 
make 50 cents at once. This kept the "mover" and he vindicated 
Col. C.'s judgment by becoming one of the men who made 
Springfield what it is. Not only was his judgment of men good, 
but he knew how to wield them. 

Joseph Rountree I knew well. A kindly, sturdy old man, 
whose sons and daughters were a credit to the country. He was 
Judofe of our County Court and there was no talk of "graft or, 
loot." 

I also knew Joel H. Hayden. He organized the Christian 
Church in the city, preached at first in the court house in the 
center of the Public Square. Was over 6 feet high, portly, but 
not obese, and was one of the finest specimens of manhood I have 
ever seen. 

He was a candidate for Governor once, but was beaten by 
a "scratch." He was one of the officers of the land office but 
never again offered for public office. He was a splendid "speak- 
er" and a "born orator." 

The first child born in Springfield was Mary Frances Camp- 
bell, January 29, 1831, daughter of Col. John Campbell, sister of 
Mrs. Rush Owen, and the first male child born in the present city 
was Harvey Fulbright, son of John Fulbright, and father of Dr. 
Fulbright, now living here. 

"Uncle Billy" Fulbright made the first crop in 1829 on his 
claim south of College and west of Market streets, and had the 
corn, oats and wheat to support the newcomers. My informant 



Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 33 

says he was "big bodied, big brained and big hearted," a tireless 
worker and ALL who stayed around had to work. He raised a 
big family of sons, eight, I think, all good citizens. 

The fight for the county seat was at first a three-cornered 
one between Col. Campbell, Maj. D. D. Berry and Finley Dan- 
forth, who wanted it at the Danforth Springs, six miles east; 
Major Berry wanted it at the Gum Springs, two miles south- 
east, and Col. Campbell where it is. Maj. Berry feared that Dan- 
forth would win in a three-cornered fight so joined forces with 
Col. Campbell and Col. Campbell won. 

HOW SPRINGFIELD WAS NAMED 

There was an Indian trader, named Wilson, who was here 
with the Delaware Indians when the whites came. He put up a 
tent on the south side of the Public Square, where the west room 
of the McDaniel Bank now is. Everybody in the country was 
invited in to vote their choice of a name for the county seat. 

Wilson (after whom the present Wilson Creek is named) had 
a jug of white whiskey, and as fast as the people came in he took 
them over to his tent and said: "I am going to live here and I 
was born and raised in a beautiful town in Massachusetts named 
Springfield, and it would gratify me very much if you would go 
over and vote to name this county seat after my native town." 
Then he produced the jug and told the voter to help himself, 
which he did, and of course went and voted to name the town 
Springfield. My informant, Capt. Lucius A. Rountree, told me 
this story many years ago, and three years ago he told it to me 
again, always closing by saying, "I was 17 years old and was 
'much of a man' ", and all of you know he was. There is no 
doubt that this story is true. 

Mr. Brown has given the population of the town in June, 
1853, as 316. In June, 1856, a census was taken for a private 
purpose and there were all told, 723 people in the town. 

When the "Oveiland Mail" to California was known to be 
a certainty, a gentleman conceived the idea of a telegraph line 
to follow the route of the stage. When he came to Springfield, 
to get help to built it, he made the point that Springfield would be 
in the newspapers every day to record the passage, one way or 
the other, of the "Overland Stage." I saw the point and took 
one hundred dollars' worth of stock in the enterprise. We did 
get on the map, and few things were done to advertise the city 
more than it did. The line was practically destroyed at the be- 
ginning of the war, and a year or so after the war had been go- 
in e on I met the man in St. Louis, who had taken my subscription 
and money and he asked me if I still had my stock. I told him 
"Yes." He asked if I wanted to sell it. I was amazed because I 
had never expected to get anything for it, and now that the line 
was torn down, I concluded he was sarcastic and said "yes, of 
course, but the wire is all gone and many of the poles and 'want' 
is all I would e'et." 



34 Early History of Springfield and Greene County, Mo. 

He looked at me a little bit and said, "Hubble, you were the 
first subscriber I got in Springfield and I see I could buy that 
stock for a song, but remembering how good I felt when I got 
your subscription I am going to give you a 'pointer.' You can 

get $ -.. for that stock, but I must not figure in the matter. 

Where are you stopping?" I told him and that night a stranger 
sent up his name to my room at the hotel and I went down and 

he said he understood I had a share of the stock in the 

Telephone line (I forget its name). I told him 1 had and he went 
on to tell me how it was destroyed and the Government was go- 
ing to build a line for its own use to Springfield, but that they 
were going to wind up the old Company and that he understood 
that because I was the first in Springlield I was guaranteed 
against loss and he would give me my money back if I would 
transfer the stock to him, and he talked largely about the loss 
the war had caused the company. 

I listened and when he stopped I told him it was not much 
and I would keep the stock to show my children that I had been 
a progressive citizen in Springfield. To cut the story short — he 
offered me and I accepted so much money for that stock that i 
don't care to tell the amount. What the new company that was 
formed wanted or done with my stock, I don't know. So I write 
this as a curious reminiscence of old days in our beloved city. 



DIRECT ROUTE WEST. 



The Ohio & Mississippi Railway 

Is ttie Direct and Fast Line between Cincinnati, Louisville 

and. St. Louis. 



Four Daily Through Passenger Trains from Cincinnati to St. Louis, and Two from 

Louisville to St. Louis, are necessary to accommodate its large and 

constantly increasing volume of Western Travel. 



THESE TRAINS MAKE DIRECT CONNECTION IN UNION DEPOT, ST. LOUIS, 

With Trains of all Lines for the West, Northwest and Southwest. 

The Ohio & Mississippi Railway gives special attention to colonists going West, either single or in parties. 
Our agents are prepared at all tunes to furnish information as to rates and routes to points West, price and location 
of lands, and when passengers are ready to start will call on them at their homes, if desired, secure tickets at lowest 
rates, and attend to checking baggage and shipping freight through to destination. 

The O. & M. is the fast line to Louisville, with four daily trains, connecting in Union Depot with through 
trains having Sleeping Cars for Paducah, Memphis and New Orleans. 

For tickets via O. & M. Railway, and further information, call on agents of connecting lines or address 
following named agents of this Company: 

R. S. BROWN, C. W. PARIS, 

Sonthern Passenger Agent 0. * M. Ry. Central Passenger Agent 0. & M. Ry. 

S. E. Cor. 4th and Main Sts., LOUISVILLE, KT. 48 West Fourth St., CINCIHATI, 0. 



TICKETS HT 



FROM THE EAST TO 



ALL POINTS IN MISSOURI 

ARE OBTAINABLE AT THE OFFICES OF THE 

"Vandalia Line." 

J^CALL ON THEIR AGENTS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE.^ 



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IN I 



ird^^iiniedllby Win* Soullhw«.si 
lissoTiiii IiniynniigiraifldDim Society 

The Counties comprising the colored portion of this map are a veritable bonanza to the 

home-seeker and the investor. Read carefully and consider well the concise but honest 

and truthful statement of their vast and varied resources herewith presented. The 

citizens of Southwest Missouri, living in the tinted Counties shown on this map 

extend a cordial invitation to the home-seeker and investor to avail themselves 

of the unsurpassed advantages offered by Southwest Missouri for obt.uiiinj; 

homes and profitable investments. 

For information regarding any particular one of the following Coun- 
ties, address the Secretary of that County whose name will be 
found appended to the description thereof: 

BATES COUNTY JOHNSON COUNTY, 
|e BARTON " MORGAN 

COLE " MONITEAU 

CASS " PETTIS 

CEDAR " POLK 

HENRY " ST. CLAIR 

JACKSON " VERNON 

For descriptive hand-book and general 
information, address 




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